“ He doesn’t paint himself as a success that has fumbled a few times, he paints himself as a person who has failed over and over and now enjoys some success”

Lost in the Mark Zuckeburg success stories are most of the others that follow the trajectory from your quote. That is the trajectory followed by the Einsteins, Edisons, Mozarts and JK Rowlings of the world. No one considers them a failure.

As trite as it sounds, it is often that road of “failure” (trying something hard and not succeeding) that leads to the success(es). Looking at Zirtual as a stepping stone to your next success vs a failure allows you to take the good AND the bad you learned.

I also think this ‘Zuckerberg Principle’ leads people in Silicon Valley (most especially) to look for the Big Overnight Wonder Ideas without laying the foundations for both real success (and useful well thought out products and services) and successes that “matter”.

The problem with the failure step of success is that a) many people in your “vertical” will avoid you or capitalize on your failure and b) most people who have never tried to build/create will only look at your failure. So deciding with whom to be vulnerable and how takes a good deal people skills and introspection.

In a State Farm commercial recently Latrell Sprewell says to a young girl “success is only failure that hasn’t happened yet”. For people on a path like you are in fact “failure is only success that hasn’t happened yet” (if you learn your lessons and make it so).